Blog Buzz: MSNBC Demotes Olbermann and Matthews, New McCain Ad Repeats Bridge Lie, McCain's Convention Bounce

Our daily look at stories and topics that are lighting up the Internets:

MSNBC's Efforts at Neutrality

The recent news that MSNBC's Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews will no longer serve as election-night anchor chairs has liberal bloggers pointing a finger at the network for bowing to complaints from the right that the anchors are too opinionated. Bloggers wonder why FOX News remains unconcerned by its "deliberate conservatism" and say that MSNBC's tie with NBC is partly behind the decision. One conservative blogger says Olbermann should have been removed anyway for being a "moron."

"Original Mavericks" Features Unoriginal Lie

A new McCain-Palin ad furthers the message that both Palin and McCain are true reformers—he reformed Washington, she reformed Alaska, the ad says. Liberal bloggers are jumping on a specific claim in the ad, that Palin "stopped the Bridge to Nowhere," calling out McCain for repeating the claim even though it has been proved false. Bloggers say that in response, the Obama campaign has to rebut the maverick theme and link McCain to the Republican Party. Another blogger hopes the press will hold Palin accountable for the lie, but Matthew Yglesias says it hasn't been doing a good job of it so far. A conservative blogger praises the ad for highlighting Obama's nonexistent record of reform. Politico's Ben Smith has the Obama camp's response for the ad's lie.

Convention Closes Enthusiasm Gap?

A new Gallup/USA Today poll indicates that John McCain has received a healthy bounce following the Republican National Convention. Conservative bloggers say the poll is a good prediction of the future and shows that Obama has "big problems." A liberal blogger thinks McCain's lead could grow and says the moderate evangelical vote is "slipping away from Barack Obama." While it's dangerous to predict the future with one poll, the results at least seem to prove that Sarah Palin has played a big role in eliminating the GOP's enthusiasm gap.

—Gretchen Hannes